At UFC 238, flyweight champion, Valentina Shevchenko defended her title for the first time as she knocked out Jessica Eye. Now, the question of who is next in the division is real. There are options like Liz Carmouche and Katlyn Chookagian, but many doubt they will be able to defeat Shevchenko.
Paige VanZant, who fights in the flyweight division, agrees with those people. As the 25-year-old isn’t sure anyone will be able to dethrone Shevchenko for a long time.
“I am going to be real honest. She is terrifying. I plan on being in the UFC, training forever. She will probably retire before I fight for the title, to be totally honest,” VanZant said on Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show on Monday (transcript via MMA Mania).
“I am only 25 so I want to work my way up,” she added. “As far as anyone I see right now to dethrone her, no there is nobody.”
Although the two do have a rivalry, as both were campaigning for the first women’s flyweight title shot, VanZant doesn’t expect to fight her soon. And, when she fights her, the 25-year-old expects to be a much better and complete fighter.
“I know she has said bad things about me in the past, but I don’t care,” Paige VanZant said. “Her striking is absolutely next-level and she is so methodical and technical in her striking. It’s like nothing I have ever seen before. So I am working on being like her. I want striking like hers. So, congrats to the champ, it was just an awesome performance.”
